Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Gołąbki) — Tender Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

• 1green cabbage (about 1.2 kg, firm and large-leaved)
• 150 glong-grain white rice
• 360 mlwater
• 1 tspfine sea salt (for cooking the rice)
• 1yellow onion (about 180 g, finely diced)
• 2 clovegarlic (minced)
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 500 gground pork (about 20 percent fat)
• 300 gground beef (about 15 percent fat)
• 1egg
• 2 tspdried marjoram
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 0.75 tspblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 700 gtomato passata
• 300 mlbeef broth
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 1 tspsugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the water and 1 tsp salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then stir in the rice. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes until the grains are only partly tender; drain any excess water and cool the rice for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Core the cabbage with a small sharp knife, keeping the head intact. Lower it into a large pot of boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, peeling off leaves with tongs as they soften; you need about 14 large usable leaves.

3. 3

   Trim the thick rib from each cabbage leaf so the leaf rolls easily without tearing. Line the bottom of a large Dutch oven or baking dish with the smallest or torn cabbage leaves, which prevents scorching and adds flavor to the sauce.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then scrape the mixture into a large bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the pork, beef, cooled rice, egg, marjoram, paprika, 1.5 tsp salt, and 0.75 tsp pepper to the onion mixture. Mix with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until evenly combined, but do not knead so firmly that the filling becomes dense.

6. 6

   Place 70 to 80 g of filling near the base of each prepared cabbage leaf. Fold the sides inward, roll tightly from the stem end, and place each roll seam-side down in the lined pot so the rolls hold their shape during cooking.

7. 7

   Whisk together the tomato passata, beef broth, tomato paste, sugar, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp pepper. Pour the sauce over the rolls and tuck the bay leaves into the liquid, making sure the rolls are mostly covered.

8. 8

   Cover the pot and bake at 180°C for 75 minutes, or simmer very gently on the stovetop for the same amount of time. The rolls are ready when the cabbage is tender, the rice is fully cooked, and the center of a roll reaches 74°C.

9. 9

   Rest the gołąbki, covered, for 15 minutes before serving so the filling firms slightly and the cabbage absorbs more sauce. Remove the bay leaves, spoon extra tomato sauce over each portion, and serve hot.